Rohl will not 'waste energy' thinking about Wilder

November's meeting ended 1-0 to the Blades

Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl says he will not waste any energy thinking about rival boss Chris Wilder's controversial celebrations following the last Steel City derby.

The German did, however, suggest the pressure is all on Sheffield United as they seek to justify their "£125m" valuation by sealing promotion back to the Premier League as the teams meet at Hillsborough for the first time since 2019.

Wilder avoided the subject but suggested United, for their part, will try to capitalise on the fact their opponents' record at Hillsborough is poor compared to their form on the road.

Blades boss Wilder was filmed in a pub singing derogatory songs about the Owls and Rohl after his side's 1-0 win at Bramall Lane in November.

The rivals meet in Sunday's return with United locked in a fierce battle with Leeds United and Burnley for the two automatic promotion spots.

Consecutive wins for Wednesday, away to Plymouth Argyle and Norwich City, means they are five points off the play-off places with nine games left.

Rohl was asked about Wilder's antics in the aftermath and simply replied "I'm looking forward to March".

But when questioned about it by BBC Radio Sheffield this week he would only suggest he was seeking to harness the "positive energy" in his camp.

"I look to my team, which has shown big character in the last two games, two wins. I love my team as I said after the Norwich game," Rohl said.

"I think what other guys thought about me and what they are doing after games is not my problem or my topic. I will not waste my energy to talk or think about this.

"For me it's about coming with a lot of power and intensity. In the last two games we showed this.

'Maybe we'll meet them in the play-offs' - Rohl

Wednesday are one of nine teams still with a realistic chance of claiming what is likely to be just two play-off places at the end of the season.

"The emotional thing is always around this game but my job as a manager is to be clear, and to always take the positive energy," Rohl added.

"The first game was a 1-0 defeat, now we have a new chance to show a good performance at home. The last home win was early January, which we want to improve and for this we will do everything."

He went on to hint the pressure was all on United, after their recent takeover, and said the two sides could yet meet for a third time this season, suggesting both could be in the play-offs.

"We achieved our small goal to have over 50 points and on the other side we have an opponent who has the value of £125m, maybe the pressure is not on us - it's about them. They have to deliver," Rohl said.

"We're looking forward to being the nasty team and to create something here. You never know - maybe it's not the last game against them this year."

'We understand the emotion' - Wilder

Chris Wilder's celebrations continued after Sheffield United's derby win in November

Wilder is an old hand in Sheffield derbies, having witnessed them as a fan and a manager, and homed in on the fact that Wednesday have the second worst home record in the Championship, behind Hull City.

"Their away record has been fantastic, in and around the top of the division, and the home record has been not that good, in and around the bottom part of the division," Wilder said.

"That all goes out of the window on Sunday afternoon. It will be a competitive game and an emotional game as we always understand these game are.

"Rarely have I seen a free-flowing game between the sides and I imagine this will be the same. We have an opportunity of doing the double over our nearest and dearest rivals for the first time in a long time and they will obviously want to rectify the performance and result in November.

"We understand the emotion of the place. I've been there as a supporter when we've won and when we've lost, and as a manager when we've won and drawn so understanding the noise and everything that's part of the day is part of it."